Candidates Play It Safe In Fox News' Iowa Debate

December 16, 2011 9:30 am ET —
Media Matters Action Network

Last night's Fox News GOP presidential primary debate in
Sioux City, Iowa was the candidates' last chance to show their stuff before the
Iowa caucuses on January 3, 2012. For the most part, the seven candidates
played it safe, taking advantage of questions rather light on policy specifics
to try to reassure Iowa voters that they're electable.

Nevertheless, each had his or her turn at throwing out a notable
line or an outright falsehood. Newt Gingrich claimed again that he had balanced the budget
for four straight years while Speaker of the House, a statement PolitiFact has rated
"False." Jon Huntsman got in a customary dig at
his more ideologically conservative cohorts, scoffing that he won't sign "silly
pledges" or "show up at a Donald Trump debate." Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX) tried to
tap into the national obsession with Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow, saying, "I hope I am the Tim
Tebow of the Iowa caucuses." Mitt Romney attacked President Obama's strength,
attacking
him over the handling of a drone downed in Iran and claiming Obama "fundamentally
believes that this next century is the post-American century."
He also scrambled to defend
himself against the charge that he had changed his positions on gay rights and
gun control since running for Senate in 1994.

Factually speaking, Rep. Michele Bachmann was perhaps the
worst performer on stage last night, repeating several outright lies. She blamed Fannie Mae
and Freddie Mac for the housing crisis, and reiterated her nonsensical claim that
Iran has threatened to use nuclear weapons against the U.S. Ironically, while
defending an attack she made on Gingrich, she made the utterly false
statement that PolitiFact "came out and said that everything I said was true"
after last week's debate, earning herself a brand new "Pants
on Fire" from the fact-checking organization.